Starter circuit for motor vehicles



l.. s. SNYDER STARTER CIRCUIT FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed May 3, 194:',

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March 21, 1944.

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Patented Mar. 21, 1944 UNITED STATES"- PATENT OFFICE STARTER CIRCUIT.FOR MGTOR VEHICLES Linus S. Snyder, Manteca, Calif.

AApplication May 3, 1943, Serial No. 485,445

7 Claims.

This invention relates to, and it is an object to provide, an improvedstarter circuit for motor vehicles, and especially trucks.

At present many commercial Vehicles, such as trucks or the like, arediicult to start under certain conditions, as for example when the fuelsystem of the vehicle is converted for use with butane Such diiiicultyin starting places an undue load on the conventionaI 6 v. storagebattery with which most of such vehicles are initially equipped. Toovercome this problem, this invention has for an object the mounting ofan additional 6 v. storage battery on the vehicle, and, through themedium of my novel circuit, the connection of such two batteries so thatmanual closing of a starting switch causes connection of said batteriesin series in a starter motor subcrcuit whereby to supply 12 v. ofelectrical energy to the starter motor and prevent overloading of thebattery system by a hard starting engine; and opening of the startingswitch causes the opening 'of said starter motor sub-circuit and theconnection of said batteries in parallel in a general sub-circuit,whereby said batteries are charged at an even rate during operation ofthe vehicle,

It is an additional object of this invention to provide a startercircuit for motor vehicles, as in the preceding paragraph, whichincludes relays, operative upon closing of the starting switch, to rstbreak the parallel connection of the storage batteries in the generatorsub-circuit (said generator sub-circuit being automatically opened by aconventional generator cut-out switch when the engine is stopped), andto subsequently connect both of said batteries in series in the startermotor sub-circuit; one set of relays functioning to produce the firstresult, and another set of relays functioning to produce the subsequentresult.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a starter circuitfor a motor vehicle which includesl two storage batteries, a generator,and a starter motor, said circuit comprising a generator sub-circuitconnecting said batteries in parallel relative to the generator, anormally open starter motor sub-circuit connecting said batteries inseries relative to the starter motor, and a control sub-circuitincluding a manually operated control switch unit, said control sub--circuit being operative upon closing cf said control switchv unit to rstbreak the parallel connection of said batteries in the generatorsubcircuit, and to subsequently close the starter motor sub-circuit.This order or sequence of control of the above named sub-circuits isquite important, for the reason as will hereinafter appear.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensivestarter circuit for motor vehicles, and yet one which will beexceedingly effective for the purpose for which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecication and claims. n

The ligure of the drawing is a diagram of my improved starter circuitfor motor vehicles,

Referring now more partciularly to the charactersof reference on thedrawing, the numeral l indicates the generator of a motor vehicle, andwhich generator is groundedv on one side as at 2; the generatorincluding a cut-out 3 interposed in the generator output lead 4 whichextends to connection with an input terminal 5 of an ammeter 6. Theoutput terminal 1 of ammeter 6 is connected to a wire 8 which leads tothe negative pole 9 of a standard equipment' 6 v. storage battery I0whose positive pole is grounded as at I I. The above is a conventionalgenerator circuit of a motor vehicle, and in combination with thisgenerator circuit I incorporate my novel starter circuit.

The numeral I2 indicates an additional 6 v. storage battery which ismounted 'on'the vehicle at any convenient point. A feed wire I3 leadsfrom the output terminal 'I of ammeter E to oonnection with the negativepole I4 of battery I2, to a ground as at I1. The above I term thegenerator sub-circuit. Normally closed relay switches, indicated at I8and I9, are interposed in feed wire I3 and ground wire I5; said switchesincluding normally deenerglzedY actuating coils indicated at 20 and 2Irespectively. A fuse F is interposed in ground wire I5, as shown.

A manually actuated starter switch, indicated generally at 22 and whichmay be of the spring retracted push-button type, is mounted on thevehicle at a convenient point in the drivers compartment. This switchincludes a contact 23 mounted in connection and adapted for movementwith the push button7 and such contact is grounded as at 24. The contact23, upon initial advance of the push button, engages a. double facedccntact 24 mounted on one end of a leaf spring 25, and the contact 24upon further movement of the push button engages a third and fixedcontact 25. It will thus be seen that with advance of the push button,contacts 23 and 24 rst engage, and are subsequently brought into circuitwith contact 2S, for the reasons as will hereinafter appear.

The coi1s 20 and 2| are included in a control sub-circuit formed in partby a wire 21 connected at one end with pole 9 of battery Ill, and splitat the other end into leads 21a and 2lb which connect with one side ofthe coils 20 and 2|. Another wire 28 is split at one end into leads 23aand 28h which connect with thelother side of the coilss2 and 2|, and theother end of wire 28 connects with the double faced Contact 24 of themanually actuated switch 22.

The starter sub-circuit comprises a heavy-duty cable 29 connectedbetweenlthenegativeupole of battery II) and the positive pole Iofbattery l2, and another heavy-duty cable 3U is connectedbetween thenegative pole of battery I2 andtheinput side of the starter motor 3|,the latter being grounded at 32.

Normally ropen solenoid type starter switches, indicated at 33 and 34,are interposed in cables 29 and 30 respectively, the coils of saidswitches being normally deenergized andlindicated at 35 and 36. It willbe seen lthatupon closing of lished which connectsjbatteries I l! and.`2 in series relative to and with the starter motor 3 I.

The coils 35-and .36 areconnectedin'another part of the controlsub-circuit whichlccmprises a lead 31 connected .at oneend-withpole9"ofbat tery III and branched :as `at 31a and 31D, saidbranches-being connected with onesideo'fthe coils 35 andl36. Anotherwire-38 isbranched at one end as at38a and 38b-and saidbranches areconnected with the other sideof coils 35 and respectively. The otherend-cf .wire 3B leads'tc and is connected with the flxedcontact 25 -oswitch22.

When-the vehicle .isiin .operation the switch 22 is lopen as 'to vallits contacts; the vswitches -IB 'and I9, Atogether with. fthe generatorcut-out lswitch are closed; Yand the'starter subcircuit'switches 33and`Mare-open; alias-shown in the figurent the drawing. -When the vehiclestops-and the engine :is shut cff,the parts -remainin-the same positionasabove, exceptfthat thegeneratcrcut- 'out sw1tch3 then'autornaticallyopens.

To actuate the motor 3| and start thevehicle motor, 'my improved,starter .circuit Yis brought into playas follows:

The push button 22 Ais depressedorfadvanced, whichrst'effectslengagement of ccntactl23with contact 24,whereupon thecoilsMrand 2*! of the `switches `I8 and I 8 'are energized 'through themediumof wires'N and 28, 'causing switches AI8 and I9 to open. *Whentheswitches .IBand/IS open, this opensthe circuitthroughwires =|"3 andI5 and cuts battery 1|2 out of the generator subcircuit` i. e. breaks`the parallel `connection. between battery I2 and `battery lll); saidgenerator sub-circuit having previously been opened-'immediately aheadof the generator by thegeneratcr cut-out switch 39 whlch'functions `whenthe engine ofthe vehicle is not running.

Thereafter with continued'advance of thepush button 22, engaged contacts.and 241-rnakeci1 cuit with contact'ZB, which `results in :the `coils 35and 35701." starter subecircuit switches vand 34 being energized throughwires Tl and'38, causing said switches 33 and M'toclcse. With .theseswitches closed thelrnotor M is energized with :32 v., as the vbatteriesI0 and `thenconnected in series by cables 29 and.

As willbe apparent, the initial closing'o conl" tacts 23 and 24, and thesubsequent closing of cngaged contacts 23 and 24 with Contact 26 takeplace in sequence and rapidly following order upon a natural manualaction of the push-button switch. However, this sequential closing isirnportant as it permits the switches IB and I9 to open a fraction of asecond ahead of switches 33 and 34, and which is necessary to break theparallel connection of the batteries beiore the same are connected inseries to supply 12 v; to motor 3|.

While the ammeter B will indicate the full outlput of the generator I,it is desirable that the amount of charge flowing to the battery I2 beseparately indicated, and to this end I interpose Yanother ammeter 39 infeed wire I3 ahead ol :switch I 8.

`rom the foregoing description it will be readily seenthat I haveproduced such a starter circuit for motor vehicles as substantiallyfulfills the fined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by 4Letters Patent is:

-1. `Astarter circuit for a motor'vehicle which includes a plurality ofstorage batteries, a generator, land a `starter motor; said circuitcornprising a generator sub-circuit in which said batteries-areconnectedin parallel, a normally open starter motor sub-circuit in whichthe batteries are connected in series, and a control sub-circuit.including a control switch unita normally `closed deenergized relayinterposed in each of the generator sub-circuit leads connected with oneo!" the batteries, `and `a normallyopen deenergized `,relay interposedineach of the starter motor sub -circult ,leads connected with `theVsame battery;

said switch unit beingr operative upon closing thereof to rst energizethe relays in the generator sub-circuit and to subsequently energize therelays in -thestarter motor sub-circuit,

2. 'A starter circuit for a motor-vehicle which includes a plurality ofstorage batteries, a generator, and aLstarter'rnotor; saidcircuitcomprising Aa igenerator sub-circuit in which said batteries areconnectedin parallel, a normally open starter motor sub-circuit in whichthe batteries are connected in series, and a control sub-circuitincluding a control switch unit, a normally closed deenergized relayinterposed in each of the generator sub-circuit leads connected with oneof the batteries, and a normally open deenergized relay interposed ineach of the starter motor sub-circuit leads connected with the 'samebattery; the relays corresponding to each subecircuit being wired inparallel with a lead extending to said switch unit, and said switch unitbeing operative to rst cause energization of the relays in the generatorsub-circuit, and to subsequently energize the relays in the startermotor sub-circuit.

3. A startercilcuit for a motor vehicle which includes a .plurality ofstorage batteries and a starter motor; said circuit comprising a startermotor sub-circuit Vwhich includesa leadconnecting opposite poles of thebatteries, another lead connecting the remaining pole ofone battery with`the Vstarter motor, and a normally open deenersized-relay interposedineach of said leads; and

a switch actuated control circuit in which said relays are connected.

4. A starter circuit for a motor vehicle which includes a plurality ofstorage batteries, a generator, and a starter motor; said startercircuit comprising a generator sub-circuit which includes an output leadextending from the generator and having a generator cut-out switchinterposed therein, said output lead being branched beyond the generatorcut-out switch and said branches being connected to like poles of thebatteries, ground leads connected with the other poles of the batteries,a normally closed deenergized relay interposed in the generator outputlead branch corresponding to one battery, another normally closeddeenergized relay interposed in the ground lead corresponding to thesame battery; a normally open starter motor sub-circuit in which saidbatteries are connected in series; and a control sub-circuit operativeto first energize said relays and then close the starter motorsubcircuit.

5. A starter circuit for a motor vehicle which includes a plurality ofstorage batteries, a generator, and a starter motor; said startercircuit comprising a generator sub-circuit which includes an output leadextending from the generator and having a generator cut-out switchinterposed therein, said output lead being branched beyond the generatorcut-out switch and said branches being connected to like poles of thebatteries, ground leads connected with the other poles of the batteries,a normally closed deenergized relay interposed in the generator outputlead branch and ground lead corresponding to one battery; a normallyopen starter motor sub-circuit which includes a battery lead connectingopposite poles of the batteries, another battery lead connecting theremaining pole of said one battery with the starter motor, and anormally open deenergized relay interposed in each of said batteryleads; and a control sub-circuit operative to rst energize the relays inthe generator subcircuit and to subsequently energize the relays in thestarter motor sub-circuit.

6. A starter circuit for a motor vehicle which includes a plurality ofstorage batteries, a generator, and a starter motor; said startercircuit comprising a generator sub-circuit which includes an output leadextending from the generator and having a generator cut-out switchinterposed therein, said output lead being branched beyond the generatorcut-out switch and said branches being connected to like poles of thebatteries, ground leads connected with the other poles of the batteries,a normally closed deenergized relay interposed in the generator outputlead branch and ground lead corresponding to one battery; a normallyopen starter motor sub-circuit which includes a battery lead connectingopposite poles of the batteries, another battery lead connecting theremaining pole of said `one battery with the starter motor, and anormally open deenergized relay interposed in each of said batteryleads; and a control sub-circuit including separate leads adapted to beseparately energized, one of said leads connecting the generatorsub-circuit relays in parallel and another of said leads connecting thestarter motor sub-circuit relays in parallel, and a manually controlledswitch unit to which said separate leads connect, said switch unit beingoperative to first cause energization of said one lead and the generatorsub-circuit relays, and to subsequently cause energization of anotherlead and the starter motor sub-circuit relays.

7. A starter circuit as in claim 6 in which said switch unit comprisesthree normally separate contacts; said leads being connected to separateones of said contacts, the third contact being mounted to first closerelative to one of said separate contacts and then close relative to theother of said separate contacts.

LINUS S. SNYDER.

